"Me Time" made Earlier

"Hindi ko mahanap 'yung book e... Merong isang thesis, kaya lang within the library lang pwede gamitin," the voice on the other line said. Jo called me upon learning that none of the UP theses which I was about to pick-up were unexpectedly available.

"Ha? eh..." I did not know what to respond. I was already on my way to Ortigas where we agreed to meet. "Sorry talaga. Kanina ko pa hinahanap e, naikot ko na 'yung lib, wala talaga," she explained. Realizing her effort considering that she was not a part of our group (it was just our group's favor to her through Anna, our groupmate and her friend), I answered, "Ok lang. Unexpected naman e". Dropping the call after the train went past Guadalupe, I motioned to the door when it opened in Boni station.

Two long queues formed before the ticket booths. I tried to contain my temper and entertained myself with the numerous billboards of various styles and sizes that were omnipresent along EDSA. After ten minutes and so, I reached the booth and got my card back to Taft Avenue.

Originally, I was planning to proceed to MOA to have a "Me Time" stroll after I got the theses. But since I didn't get any, I carried on with my plan - only earlier than I expected. Luckily, I was able to make it just in time for twilight.

Sipping McFloat and writing poems on my phone, I watched how the sun beautifully set. Lights from the other side of the sea opened one by one, orderly forming a line in the purview.

It was a peaceful twilight, after all.

Patience in a Public Restroom

Nakatingin sa metal na tumutunog
kapag nagbubukas ang pinto.
Tok. Tatlong tao pa bago ako.

Nakatingin sa metal na tumutunog
kapag nagbubukas ang pinto.
Tok. Dalawang tao pa bago ako.

Nakatingin sa metal na tumutunog
kapag nagbubukas ang pinto.
Tok. Isa na lang!
- isang tao na lang bago ako.

Tok. Sa wakas ako na ang papasok sa pinto.
Ang tagal ko ding pinigilan ito.

Isang Malayang Musika

Ang sarap pakinggan ng mga hampas ng alon
sa mga naglalakihang bato.
Isang magandang tinig na walang liriko.
Ang mga sitsit ng tubig ang himig
na gumagawa ng malayang musika.

Ang sarap pakinggan ng isang malayang musika.
Ito'y tutugtog, iyong sasabayan.
Sa pagsabay sa kumpas ng alon, magsasambit ng mga salita.
Mga salitang magiging liriko ng himig
hanggang mabuo ang isang kanta
- isang malayang musika.

Classical, folk o rock and roll.
ballad, jazz o acoustic.
Luma o bago, malakas o mahina.
Depende sa tunog ng pakikipagbuno
ng mga alon sa mga naglalakihang batong-dagat,
at sa himig ng iyong boses habang uma-aray
o humihiyaw sa init ng buhangin ng buhay.

Isang instrumental na himig - ang pagsitsit ng mga alon.
Isang a capella - ang liriko ng iyong kanta.
Ang paghahalo ng dalawa
- isang perpektong musika.
Nagmumula sa kalikasan at sa kaisipan.

Ang sarap pakinggan ng isang kanta.
Ang hampas ng alon, ang kapayapaan na dala
ng himig ng iyong musika.
Ang tinig kasabay ng pagsambit,
ang malayang pagkanta
- isang malayang musika.

*Photo taken June 12, 2009 at San Miguel by the Bay, SM Mall of Asia

The World at Six O'Clock

The moment I climbed the mezzanine and glanced at the sea inches away from me, calmness engulfed the surroundings. Seawater gently lapped onto big chunks of rock separating the land from the sea. Birds played with the water - a fleet hopping on the surface in unison and disappearing at once. Fishes frolicked underneath, creating an illusion of raindrops on the surface. And the wind was blowing gently, spewing the last ice-cold feel of air before summer.

The bird flying against a backdrop of sunset formed a locomotive silhouette in the sky. And the sun caused the heaven to bleed as it retreated to its home.

The sea laid like a dark blue mantle of unending length. And the land where I was seated marked the end of the sky that spanned a hundred billion mile.

What a beautiful sight. How vast the world has been. What a splendor.


*Photo taken June 12, 2009 at San Miguel by the Bay, SM Mall of Asia

I Live in a World that I Do Not See

I was seated beside a man donned in decent white polo, black slacks, and leather shoes. The music was playing loudly outside - its lively mood resonated to the room where I was in. The man was silent, but his feet was going up and down to the beat of the music.

He got his phone from his pocket. He clicked on a button and maneuvered it towards his right hear. He did not look at the phone's screen; he simply listened to whatever was being uttered from it.

He returned the phone to his pocket. His feet continued to thump to the beat of the music. Until a woman in a more decent look delivered another woman with the most decent look amongst them. The latter seemed to be discomforted by, probably, a cramp in one of the parts of her body.

The man got up at once; the woman handed over to him sat down to his seat. He started to stroke her arms, up to the shoulders, down to her back.

I was in a massage center of blind people. The man seated beside me - now sturdily standing - was blind.

He continued to gently rub the woman's body. The thumps of his feet were replaced by the up-and-down movement of his fingers, hands and arms. But the music continued to play.

He checked his phone again - but did not look at it as usual. He listened to what it was saying. It continued to emit waves which served as a substitute for his lost sense.

I thought, "I live in a world that I don't see." Beyond what my eyes could perceive were bantam sounds deemed giant and intense - above all, significant - by the blind. Which, more often than not, would not be minded by the people who could see.

My phone rang, but I did not get it at once. The music stopped, but I was not at all affected.

Whereas, the blind man - and others in decent white polo, black slacks, and leather shoes - paused in a second or so when the music came to a halt.

Truly, I live in a world that I do not see.

---

Had a happy Sunday with Mama, Papa and Jigs. Heard Mass, had lunch, then went to Hypermart to buy some stuffs for the house.

Afterwhich, we headed towards Harrison Plaza where Mama had a massage at the massage center of the blind. It was where I made my writing above, saving it as a draft message of three parts in my phone.

It was a fun Sunday! Thanks, Papa God! :) Hope everyone had a good weekend in the start of the second week of January.

I miss dancing. Will I ever gonna dance again?

On Monday, we're gonna do Spice Girls' "Stop" for our Film Production class. Haha. :D

PHOTOSHOP Update: Marunong na ako! Yey! Basics. More to learn! :)

From Bond Paper to Computer Window

Ignorance of technology limits actions. Unwillingness to learn discriminates. Acquainting with new technologies is a necessity (Catapusan, 2010).

Trying the difficult way of drawing: from oil pastels in illustration boards to layers and image adjustments in adobe photoshop window tabs.

I am not at good at this. I don't even know how to do this. Pero go lang! :))

The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along.

~ Maulana Jalalu'ddin Rumi

At the Rooftop

The orange afternoon sky slowly turned black with scattered shades of red as the dusk of the second day of January came. Stars hid behind the dark red clouds, but the bright, round moon shone brightly in the sky.

Tables and chairs were orderly placed at the relatively broad space where we usually gather for occasions. On top of a long table were food which signify a culture of simplicity, sweetness and an appraisal for long life. Beside it was a videoke player with two microphones attached, patched to a television and two stereo speakers.

People started to laboriously go up to the broad space where one could beautifully sight the silhouettes and traces of Makati's tall structures kilometers away from the place. Music tuned up the mood to a joyous one; voices of children, teenagers, elders and eldests resonate from the microphone that produced melodies - whether out of tune or not.

A mum of prayer opened the night which bonded families together - some where from distant places, others only stairs away. At the rooftop, we recreated our family - and created a memory that significantly marked the start of our year.

---

Welcoming 2010 Holiday Party

Cousins Sam, Kate and Niquee

Team Jinky doing a Lady Gaga-Rihanna Duo

Silhouettes of the boys of Team Manny dressed as girls,
dancing to a Vhong Navarro medley

Team Krista's fronts emulating Jabawockees
with girls behind swathed in full-body coats

The Family after the program

Blessed be 2010

I guess there's no better way to celebrate New Year than spending it with your family.

A Blessed New Year! For all the wonderful things in the world, to God be the glory!